A former Elmira Christian Academy teacher who was arrested in 2015 on child pornography charges pleaded guilty this week.

Howard Edward Brooks, 40, of Elmira, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Rochester to receipt, distribution and four counts of possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors.

Brooks was arrested in August of 2015 following the execution of a federal search warrant at his Elmira residence.

During that search, FBI agents found several digital items containing photos and videos of children as young as toddlers being raped, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring, who is prosecuting the case.

When FBI Agents arrived to execute the search warrant, Brooks tried to flush several thumb drives down the toilet, Gestring said.

The defendant stated that he did so because he saw the FBI in his driveway and knew the thumb drives contained child pornography.

The thumb drives were recovered from the sewer under Brooks’ residence with the assistance of the Chemung County Department of Public Works. Those thumb drives were then forensically analyzed and hundreds of child pornography videos were recovered from each, Gestring said.

Brooks was indicted on the charges by a federal grand jury in March 2016.

Receipt and attempted distribution of child pornography each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison with a maximum of 20 years, while each count of possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Each charge also carries a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer will sentence Brooks on May 8, 2018.